Combined solar radiation pressure and drag effects on the orbits of artificial satellites

A semi analytical theory is proposed to study the joint effects of direct solar radiation pressure and atmospheric drag on the orbit of an artificial Earth satellite. Making the solar radiation pressure equal to zero the problem is reduced to one already solved by Brouwer and Hori. The solutions are not equivalent, however, since in the Brouwer and Hori theory one has spurious Poisson terms.     

Application of the extended Kalman filter in satellite prediction

The extended Kalman filter is used in this paper to process single-station laser ranging data over a few revolutions to improve the satellite orbit. The aim is to provide accurate short-term predictions of the satellite position. The dynamical model includes the perturbations due to the Earth's oblateness, air drag, solar radiation pressure and the gravitational attractions of the Sun and the Moon.The proposed method is tested with simulated and real LAGEOS data. The results show that the above aim is achievable. Moreover, the computing program based on the present method can be realized on mini-computers.     

Satellite orbits perturbed by direct solar radiation pressure: General expansion of the disturbing function

An expression is derived for the solar radiation pressure disturbing function on an Earth satellite orbit which takes into account the variation of the solar radiation flux with distance from the Sun's centre and the absorption of radiation by the satellite. This expression is then expanded in terms of the Keplerian elements of the satellite and solar orbits using Kaula's method. The Kaula inclination functions are replaced by an equivalent set of modified Allan inclination functions.The resulting expression reduces to the form commonly used in solar radiation pressure perturbation studies (e.g. Aksnes, 1976), when certain terms are neglected. If, as happens quite often in practice, a satellite's orbit is in near-resonsnce with certain of these neglected terms, these near-resonant terms can cause changes in the satellite's orbital elements comparable to those produced by the largest term in Aksnes's expression. A new expression for the solar radiation pressure disturbing function expansion is suggested for use in future studies of satellite orbits perturbed by solar radiation pressure.     

Long-periodic and secular perturbations to the orbit of a spherical satellite due to direct solar radiation pressure

A theory is developed for the perturbations to the orbit of a spherically symmetric satellite which accounts for the changes in the perigee and nodal positions and the variations of the Sun-Earth distance and direction over an orbital revolution. The theory is semi-analytical, the equations of motion being integrated with respect to time over the sunlit period of each orbital revolution. Long-periodic and short-periodic perturbations may be treated separately, and this is important for long-term analyses in terms of mean elements where short-period terms are averaged or omitted.     

《大气一号》气球卫星轨道倾角变化分析

引起《大气一号》两颗气球卫星（ＤＱ－１Ａ和ＤＱ－１Ｂ）轨道倾角变化的摄动因素主要是太阳光压摄动、大气旋转和日月引力摄动。太阳光压摄动引起气球卫星轨道倾角增大，平均每天变化约０．００１７，大气旋转引起轨道倾角减小，平均每天变化不到０．０００１，但随着高度下降，变化量亦增大，陨落前达０．００２。本文根据卫星轨道摄动理论，给出气球卫星轨道倾角变化的一种定量分析方法，得到的分析结果为：（１）由太阳光压摄动     

Perturbations of the orbit of Explorer 19 due to solar radiation

The orbit of the balloon satellite, Explorer 19, is analysed to determine the effects of direct solar radiation pressure over one revolution of the satellite (111 min) for MJD 42822 and MJD 42966. At the earlier date, the satellite entered the Earth's shadow, presenting an opportunity to examine the effectiveness of two different shadow models. The reflectivity of the surface of the satellite was estimated from analysis of the variations in orbital eccentricity over a period of 236 days.Although many of the parameters associated with the shape and orientation of the satellite are unknown, the theory for a non-spherical satellite is applied using trial and error methods to determine the parameters of best fit. The paper concludes with an examination of the perturbations in orbital eccentricity and inclination due to incident, specularly reflected, and diffusely reflected radiation.     

北斗三号卫星精密定轨中的光压模型研究

对于在轨运行的BDS (BeiDou Navigation Satellite System)卫星, 太阳光压是作用在卫星上主要的非引力摄动. 受多种因素的影响, 太阳光压摄动力难以精确建模, 是BDS卫星精密定轨和轨道预报过程中重要的误差来源. 由于ECOMC (Empirical CODE Orbit Model 1 and 2 Combined)模型兼顾了ECOM1 (Empirical CODE Orbit Model 1)和ECOM2 (Empirical CODE Orbit Model 2)模型的特点, 在模型中引入了较多的待估参数, 使得参数之间存在强相关性. 针对ECOMC模型的这一缺陷, 文中收集了2019年1月至2022年4月武汉大学分析中心提供的BDS-3卫星精密星历, 采用动力学轨道拟合方法得到了ECOMC模型的13个光压参数. 通过对该模型的光压参数进行时间序列分析, 分别给出了BDS-3 IGSO (Inclined Geosynchronous Orbit)和MEO (Medium Earth Orbit)卫星光压模型的参数选择策略. 并利用轨道拟合和轨道预报试验, 验证了光压模型参数选择策略的合理性. 结果表明, 采用改进型ECOMC模型进行BDS-3 IGSO和MEO卫星轨道拟合的效果最佳, 同时, 也能够提升BDS-3 IGSO和MEO卫星中长期轨道预报的精度.     

Orbital perturbations due to radiation pressure for a spacecraft of complex shape

We analyze the perturbations due to solar radiation pressure on the orbit of a high artificial satellite. The latter is modelled in a simplified way (axisymmetric body plus despun antenna emitting a radio beam), which seems suitable to describe the main effects for existing telecommunication satellites. We use the regularized general perturbation equations, by expressing the force in the moving Gauss' reference frame and by expanding the results in terms of some small parameters, referring both to the orbit (small eccentricity and inclination) and to the spacecraft's attitude. Some interesting results are derived, which assess the relative importance of different physical effects and of different parts of the spacecraft in determining the long-term evolution of the orbital elements.     

Secular orbit variation due to solar radiation effects: a detailed model for BYORP

A detailed derivation of the effect of solar radiation pressure on the orbit of a body about a primary orbiting the Sun is given. The result is a set of secular equations that can be used for long-term predictions of changes in the orbit. Solar radiation pressure is modeled as a Fourier series in the body’s rotation state, where the coefficients are based on the shape and radiation properties of the body as parameters. In this work, the assumption is made that the body is in a synchronous orbit about the primary and rotates at a constant rate. This model is used to write explicit variational equations of the energy, eccentricity vector, and angular momentum vector for an orbiting body. Given that the effect of the solar radiation pressure and the orbit are periodic functions, they are readily averaged over an orbit. Furthermore, the equations can be averaged again over the orbit of the primary about the Sun to give secular equations for long-term prediction. This methodology is applied to both circular and elliptical orbits, and the full equations for secular changes to the orbit in both cases are presented. These results can be applied to natural systems, such as the binary asteroid system 1999 KW4, to predict their evolution due to the Binary YORP effect, or to artificial Earth orbiting, nadir-pointing satellites to enable more precise models for their orbital evolution.     

The helium drag effect on the orbit of Explorer 19

The orbit of Explorer 19 (1963-53A) has been determined at 60 epochs between February 1976 and October 1976 from over 3000 observations. Using values of the orbital decay rate corrected for the effects of solar radiation pressure, 58 values of air density at a height of 900 km have been evaluated. After correcting for solar and geomagnetic activity and seasonal-latitudinal and diurnal variations in the exospheric temperature, the residual variation exhibited modulations associated with the ‘winter helium bulge’.An examination of three different models of the helium variation has indicated a procedure, which combines distinct features of the CIRA (1972) and Jacchia (1977) model atmospheres, for determining the atmospheric drag effect on Explorer 19. It is proposed that this technique may be equally applicable to any satellite in near-polar orbit at an equivalent height.     

Kinematic Precise Orbit Determination for LEO Satellites Using Space-borne Dual-frequency GPS Measurements

As a special approach to orbit determination for satellites with spaceborne GPS receivers, the kinematic Precise Orbit Determination (POD) is independent of any mechanical model (e.g., the Earth gravity ?eld, atmospheric drag, solar radiation pressure, etc.), and thus especially suitable for the orbit determination of Low Earth Orbiting (LEO)satellites perturbed strongly bythe atmosphere. In this paper, based on the space-borne dual-frequency GPS data, we study the kinematic POD, discuss the pre-processing of the data, and construct an algorithm of zero-difference kinematic POD. Using the observational data from GRACE (Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment) satellites covering the whole month of February 2008, we verify the effectiveness and reliability of this algorithm. The results show that the kinematic POD may attain an accuracy of about 5 cm (with respect to satellite laser ranging data), which is at the same level as the dynamic and reduced-dynamic PODs     

A numerical solution for lageos thermal thrust: The rapid-spin case

We report the results of detailed numerical calculations of the thermal thrust on the rapidly-spinning LAGEOS spacecraft. This thrust results from anisotropic emission of thermal radiation from its surface. LAGEOS is a good test case for such calculations because of its relatively simple structure and because precise orbit determinations based on laser ranging give observed thrust effects for comparison.The numerical integration includes the varying heating over spacecraft-surface latitude from earth infrared radiation (for the earth-Yarkovsky force) and the varying solar heating as the spacecraft moves in and out of the earth's shadow (for the solar-Yarkovsky force). The computation allows for the poor thermal coupling between the spacecraft structure and individual surface elements (the fused-silica cube-corner reflectors and their aluminum retainer rings), and the poor conduction between structural hemispheres.A Fourier analysis of the computed force with respect to orbital longitude gives the important frequency components for the computation of long-term orbit perturbations. Empirical formulas fit to the numerical results accurately express the component amplitudes as simple functions of spin axis orbital latitude, the sun aspect angle from the spin axis, and the fraction of the orbit period spent in the earth's shadow. These results. based on first principles, are similar to those from simplified theories of the thermal thrust. but add the following new feature: The decrease in orbit-averaged satellite temperature when the orbit intersects the earth's shadow decreases the earth-Yarkovsky drag by 0.14 pm/s² from the no-eclipse value.The development of spacecraft-element thermal parameters is the most difficult part of the analysis; the paper tabulates the parameters that should be directly measured before the launch of future geodynamic satellites.     

Perturbations of a spheroidal satellite due to direct solar radiation pressure

The orbital accelerations of certain balloon satellites exhibit marked oscillations caused by solar radiation impinging on the surface of the satellites, which, once spherical, have assumed a spheroidal shape producing a component of force at right-angles to the Sun-satellite direction. Given the characteristics and orientation of the satellite, the equations of force are determined by the formulae of Lucas. Otherwise the phase-angle and magnitude of the right-angle force are determined by trial and error, or best-fit techniques. Using a variation of the approach developed by Aksnes, a semi-analytical algorithm is presented for evaluating the perturbations of the Keplerian elements by direct solar radiation pressure on a spheroidal satellite. The perturbations are obtained by summing over the sunlit part of each orbit and allow for a linear variation in the phase-angle. The algorithm is used to determine the orbital accelerations of 1963-30D due to direct solar radiation pressure, and these results are compared to the observed values over two separate periods of the satellite's lifetime.     

Analytical study of the Earth's shadowing effects on satellite orbits

In this paper a new mathematical model is proposed for the study of the effects of the direct solar radiation pressure on the orbit of an artificial Earth satellite. The equations for the first order effects become canonical when a different definition for the orders of magnitude is adopted. This enables us the utilization of the method of Von Zeipel to eliminate all periodic terms. The model leads to the non-existence of pure secular perturbations owing to the direct solar radiation pressure on the metric elements: semi-major axis, eccentricity and inclination. Numerical examples built with an approximation for the shadow function show that the secular inequalities on the angle variables—longitude, perigee and node—are very small.     

基于双频星载GPS数据的LEO卫星运动学定轨研究

运动学定轨是星载GPS特有的定轨方法,该方法不依赖于任何力学模型(地球重力场、大气阻力及太阳辐射压等),尤其适用于受大气阻力影响严重的低轨卫星定轨.基于双频星载GPS数据,研究了运动学定轨原理,讨论了数据预处理方法,建立了一套非差运动学定轨算法.并以GRACE (Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment)-A、B卫星2008年2月实测数据作为试算验证了本研究方法的有效性和可靠性.GRACE 卫星实测数据计算结果表明:运动学定轨能达到5 cm精度(相对于SLR (Satellite Laser Ranging)),与动力学和简化动力学定轨精度相当.     

太阳辐射压摄动计算的新进展

介绍了一种新的建立太阳辐射压摄动模型的方法,即Ｖｏｋｒｏｕｈｌｉｃｋｙ等人提出的方法。该方法以辐射转移方程为基本数学工具,并运用相应的物理概念,通过对太阳辐射场强和辐射流量的计算来求出太阳辐射压摄动。此方法既适用于卫星处于地球半影区内和地球阴影之外的情形,也适用于地球反照辐射压的计算。还介绍了该方法的一些计算结果,并简单评述了其不足之处。     

The effect of solar radiation pressure on the orbit of a cylindrical satellite

The effect of solar radiation pressure on the orbits of cylindrical satellites is considered. The cylinder is assumed to reflect radiation both specularly and diffusely. The resultant forces on a stationary cylindrical satellite are given. The evolution of the satellite's orbit is described for two particular modes of rotation. In both cases the satellites are assumed to be in circular Sun-synchronous orbits.     

Geostationary secular dynamics revisited: application to high area-to-mass ratio objects

The long-term dynamics of the geostationary Earth orbits (GEO) is revisited through the application of canonical perturbation theory. We consider a Hamiltonian model accounting for all major perturbations: geopotential at order and degree two, lunisolar perturbations with a realistic model for the Sun and Moon orbits, and solar radiation pressure. The long-term dynamics of the GEO region has been studied both numerically and analytically, in view of the relevance of such studies to the issue of space debris or to the disposal of GEO satellites. Past studies focused on the orbital evolution of objects around a nominal solution, hereafter called the forced equilibrium solution, which shows a particularly strong dependence on the area-to-mass ratio. Here, we (i) give theoretical estimates for the long-term behavior of such orbits, and (ii) we examine the nature of the forced equilibrium itself. In the lowest approximation, the forced equilibrium implies motion with a constant non-zero average ‘forced eccentricity’, as well as a constant non-zero average inclination, otherwise known in satellite dynamics as the inclination of the invariant ‘Laplace plane’. Using a higher order normal form, we demonstrate that this equilibrium actually represents not a point in phase space, but a trajectory taking place on a lower-dimensional torus. We give analytical expressions for this special trajectory, and we compare our results to those found by numerical orbit propagation. We finally discuss the use of proper elements, i.e., approximate integrals of motion for the GEO orbits.     

GPS定轨中的太阳辐射压模型

对于GPS这样的高轨卫星轨道的确定,最大的误差源为太阳辐射压摄动．近年来IGS各个数据处理中心提供的GPS星历精度越来越高,其中很重要的一个因素就是太阳辐射压摄动模型的不断完善．详细阐述了目前主要的7种太阳辐射压摄动模型后,给出了各种光压摄动模型的计算模型,并利用不同的摄动模型积分卫星轨道,得到不同模型在GPS卫星轨道积分中的精度．结果表明,Bern大学提供的3种模型对太阳辐射压的模拟较为准确,相对于其他4种模型,由其得到的GPS轨道精度有将近一个量级的提高．     

GNSS精密轨道产品不连续性分析及评估

按照目前的国际规范, 高精度GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System)轨道产品一般以天为周期进行发布, 提供给用户使用. 连续使用多天的产品存在不同天间的跳变问题. 利用德国地学研究中心(GFZ)、欧洲定轨中心(COD)、欧空局(ESA)、美国喷气试验室(JPL)以及上海天文台(SHA)共5个GNSS分析中心2013---2017年的轨道产品, 分析了轨道跳变的特性. 计算结果表明: GFZ、COD、ESA、SHA和JPL的3维轨道跳变平均分别为7.79cm、1.51cm、7.77cm、11.75cm和2.51cm. 轨道跳变序列的周期特性分析表明: 序列存在90d、120d、340d左右的显著周期项, 对应于海潮对地球自转的影响, 其振幅为数毫米至1cm左右. 表明精密轨道确定需要进一步精化该项模型; GPS的跳变序列还存在与卫星星座相关的175d和352d左右的交点年显著周期项. 此外, 针对COD产品外推轨道的分析, 验证了地球反照辐射压和太阳光压模型等动力学模型对轨道的差异.